Contrary to popular belief, pets’ fur coats don’t make them immune to the cold. Protect pets from winter’s onslaught by shortening walks in extremely cold weather and bringing them indoors when temps drop below freezing, even if they have long or thick coats.
Animals who are old or arthritic are more at risk of falling on snow or ice, and pets with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease or Cushing’s disease may have difficulty regulating their body temperature, so it’s important to protect them when they go outdoors.
And cat lovers: Knock on the hood before starting your car to make sure you scare out any cats who may have sought shelter inside your vehicle when the engine was warm.
There’s more – including dog and cat New Year’s resolutions – in Pet Connection, the weekly nationally syndicated pet feature I co-write with Kim Campbell Thornton and my daughter, trainer Mikkel Becker.
